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Special Education Reform

Special Education Reform. Schools for All Children. Donnalyn Jaque-Antón, Associate Superintendent Division of Special Education. Kevin Reed, General Counsel Office of the General Counsel. Strategic Priorities: Changes for Special Education Reform.

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Special Education Reform

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  1. Special Education Reform Schools for All Children Donnalyn Jaque-Antón, Associate Superintendent Division of Special Education Kevin Reed, General Counsel Office of the General Counsel

  2. Strategic Priorities:Changes for Special Education Reform • Accurate identification and appropriate assignment of services • Integration of students with disabilities • Access to the general curriculum and standards for academic achievement • Knowledgeable and qualified staff • Monitoring of performance indicators and accountability for results

  3. What is the Modified Consent Decree? • Court order to comply with the federal law (IDEA) • 18 Outcome areas • Specific outcomes/results completed by 2006 • Interim benchmarks by years: • 2004, 2005, 2006 • Annual Plans with action steps and responsible staff • Central • Local District • School

  4. What is the Modified Consent Decree? • Data Driven—reliant on accurate data • MCD Data Review Teams • Central • Local District • School • School/Local District progress measured at regular intervals from data—accountability • Oversight by the Independent Monitor • Authority of Chief Executive of Special Education

  5. Role of the Independent Monitor • Approve an Annual Plan submitted by the District • Verify the accuracy of the District’s data used to measure District’s performance • Make determinations of District’s achievement of outcomes • Order the District to comply with decisions made by Independent Monitor

  6. Modified Consent DecreeYear One Progress Report Jay Alleman, Administrative Coordinator Office of the Independent Monitor

  7. Response to the Modified Consent DecreeYear One Progress Report Roy Romer, Superintendent Los Angeles Unified School District

  8. Superintendent’s Annual Report to the Board of Education, 2003-2004 Division of Special Education Required by the MCD/Maintenance of Effort

  9. Organization of the Report Section I Statistical Information Section II Compliance with Special Education Laws, 2003-2004 Section III Completion of 2003-2004 Annual Plan Benchmarks and Maintenance of Effort Goals, MCD Section IV Other Achievements Section V Summary Budget

  10. Section I:Statistical Information

  11. Section II:Compliance with Special Education Laws, 2003-2004 2003/2004 Monitoring Review Process Three activities: • District Validation Review (DVR) • Green Team Review (GTR) • California Department of Education Review

  12. District Validation Review Elements • Team Composition (6 member team, includes parent representation) • Standardized forms • Focus of review Compliance with District procedures

  13. District Validation Review Elements • Student records review • Administrative and staff interviews • Classroom observations • Documentation review • Analysis of school site data • Summary report • Follow-up monitoring

  14. District Validation Review Findings (Local Districts B and D) 2003-2004 • Least Restrictive Environment Items 86% compliant • Secondary Transition Items 95% compliant • Individual Education Program (IEP Timelines Items) 89% compliant • English Language Learners Items 94% compliant • Procedural Rights and Safeguards Items 92% compliant

  15. Green Team Review Elements • Team Composition • Local District personnel • Division of Special Education Personnel • Standardized forms • Random student records review • Interviews • Classroom visitations • Data review • Report of results

  16. Green Team Review Findings Nine schools reviewed in 2003-2004 • School and District Leadership 73% “evident” or “in progress” • Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Development 91% “evident” or “in progress” • Classroom and School Assessment 67% “evident” or “in progress” • School Climate, Culture and Communication 78% “evident” or “in progress”

  17. CDE Site Review Elements • Team Composition - 2 team members (1 CDE Consultant and 1 Special Education Compliance Specialist) • Standardized forms • Student record review

  18. CDE Site Review Elements • Administrative and staff review • Classroom observation • Verification of services; speech and language and mental health • Summary report of findings

  19. CDE Records Review Findings • Review 27 schools • Elementary • Middle • High schools • Average score of record reviews conducted by CDE ranged from 94% to 99% compliant

  20. Closure of Outstanding Noncompliance and Systemic Issues, 2000-2004 “Establishing this yearly review of tangible evidence and provided documented assurance by LAUSD…ensures that students with special needs and their parents will receive the educational support needed to access state educational standards and receive educational benefit from their work.”

  21. Closure of Outstanding Noncompliance and Systemic Issues, 2000-2004 “The summary report along with its eight (8) addendums enabled CDE/SED to bring to closure all the reporting that CDE requested during this four year time frame.” Alice Parker Deputy Superintendent, Director CDE, Special Education Division November 16, 2004

  22. Section IV:Other Achievements Welligent System • Provide all decision-makers timely, accurate date regarding students with disabilities • Measure District progress for compliance with State and Federal law and Consent Decree

  23. Section IV:Other Achievements Welligent System Accomplishments • Implemented to some level in all regular schools within 12 months • Trained over 8,000 users on IEP system • Trained over 3,000 service providers • Typically more than 1,000 concurrent users logged in during normal working hours • HP system retired • Daily increasing meaningful, accurate data

  24. Section IV:Other Achievements Literacy Institute • Assist teacher in providing access for all students to the core curriculum • Team from each school awarded a LRE mini-grant during 2002-2003 • Focus on site planning activities for implementing LRE programs • LRE Mini-grants continued in 2003-2004

  25. Section IV:Other Achievements Informal Dispute Resolution • IEP disputes minimized when developed through meaningful, informed participation of all IEP team members • IEP dispute represents a difference of opinion that can be resolved through open communication • Resolution of disputes best achieved by those who know/work with child • Local site staff should be empowered to resolve disputes • Formal due process should be last resort

  26. Section IV:Other Achievements Early Intervention and Prevention • Academically at-risk students provide structured, systemic academic intervention programs • Needs addressed in early grades (K, 1, 2) and early in English literacy development • Students with reading difficulties referred for special education only after • participation in District’s intervention program • progress assessed and monitored, • responses to provided interventions monitored

  27. Section IV:Other Achievements LRE Initiative • Designed to systemically increase opportunities for students with disabilities to be educated in less restrictive environments in neighborhood schools • Learning supports and services that ensure their successful education • 2002-2003 LRE Task Force (general and special educators) developed Districtwide plan for integration of general and special education students • Implementation of instructional interventions and strategies for effective LRE practices continued throughout 2003-2004

  28. 2004-2005 Progress to Date • Reorganization – Support Units • Welligent • Professional Development • Informal Dispute Resolution • Prevention and Reading First • Behavior • Least Restrictive Environment • MCD Review Teams and targeted assistance

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